Tyson Fury's cousin murder-accused 'not violent', jury told

Rico Burton, 31, died in hospital after he was stabbed in Altrincham

A man accused of murdering the cousin of boxer Tyson Fury with a knife during a bar brawl has told a jury, "I'm not a violent person".

Liam O'Pray, 22, is accused of fatally stabbing Rico Burton, 31, cousin of the world heavyweight boxing champion, in Altrincham in August last year.

Manchester Crown Court heard the seven-inch blade almost completely severed a major artery in Mr Burton's neck causing massive blood loss.

Mr O'Pray, of Salford, denies murder.

He is also accused of wounding with intent by slashing and stabbing Harvey Reilly, 18, during the same incident which he denies.

The jury was told a fight broke out between two groups of men in the Greater Manchester town in the early hours of 22 August.

'Loose cannon'

The court heard Mr O'Pray had a previous conviction for having a knife in public in 2019, but the defendant told jurors: "I'm not a violent person."

CCTV played in court showed a fight erupt between the defendant's friends and Mr Burton's family and friends at Goose Green, a courtyard of bars.

Mr O'Pray had earlier been refused entry to a bar and it is claimed he told a doorman he was a professional boxer and would be back and "cause him an issue", which he denied.

Door staff and witnesses have described the defendant as a "loose cannon" and "very erratic".

Shortly after 03:00 BST, a witness told the court "absolute chaos" broke out as Mr O'Pray's friend, Malachi Hewitt-Brown, was punched by Mr Burton's cousin, Chasiah Burton.

Mr Burton also then aimed a punch at Mr Hewitt-Brown.

A second later, Mr O'Pray struck the fatal blow with the knife to the left side of Mr Burton's neck, the jury was told.

Michael Brady KC, prosecuting, asked the defendant: "You got the knife out of your pocket and the blade exposed before any punch was thrown?

"Did you warn anyone? Did you say, 'I have got a knife, get away'. Did you wave it about?"

Mr O'Pray said: "Everyone was in my face. I didn't say a word. I was surrounded by them. I just reacted."

Mr Brady continued: "Or was it you were just waiting for an excuse to use your knife, the blade of which was already exposed?"

Mr O'Pray replied: "No. I did not start anything, I was just reacting. It was all kicking off. I was scared. I was outnumbered."

Mr Brady said: "You were angry, you were not scared. And once you had stabbed Mr Burton to the neck you carried on using it aggressively, you were not bothered who you hit, you were just lashing out."

The defendant replied: "I was just trying to stop punches and kicks. I was just defending myself, I was under attack."

Mr Brady said: "This is just standard for you, going out drinking, being violent."

'£500 hat taken'

The prosecutor suggested Mr O'Pray was "pretty much always carrying a knife".

But Mr O'Pray told the jury a month or so before the fatal incident he had been left covered "head to toe" in blood, kicked and stabbed in the hand in a fight after his £500 hat had been taken from him.

The defendant said he bought the lock-knife because he was "worried" after the July incident and to "defend myself" as being beaten up had played on his mind.

He also said he had used the knife as a tool in his job as a groundworker.

Mr O'Pray, of Little Moss Lane, Clifton, Salford, has admitted possession of a knife in a public place and possession of cocaine.

The trial continues.